How to move long distance without a trailer or a month-long wait
Traditional shipping containers and moving companies require weeks of delivery time and won't work in HOA-restricted neighborhoods, while driving a personal car leaves no room for essential boxes and totes. This leaves people stuck between agonizingly slow freight windows, unsafe mountain towing options, and vehicles that are simply too small to carry everything they own.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using portable storage container (POD) solutions2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Selling large furniture and items instead of moving themDid this help you?
- 3Packing only clothes and sentimental items in the car and buying new items upon arrivalDid this help you?
- 4Using pallet-style shipping containers or moving cubes despite long delivery windowsDid this help you?
- 5Using specific container services like U-Box with scheduled delivery daysDid this help you?
- 6Shipping items via partial load moving vans, bus freight, or USPS media mailDid this help you?
- 7Flying with pets in cabin and hiring external help or family membersDid this help you?
- 8Stuffing belongings into cars and leaving mattresses behindDid this help you?
- 9Looking into container shipping options like U-Box or PODSDid this help you?
- 10Considering renting a one-way moving truck or vanDid this help you?
- 11Checking cargo charges on AmtrakDid this help you?
- 12Selling large furniture and carrying remaining items in the vehicleDid this help you?
- 13Attaching a trailer to an SUV to haul larger itemsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I don’t have much, but I still have too much for my car. I’ll be doing this alone and am not comfortable with a trailer as I’ll be going up and down the Rockies.”source ↗
“I’ve looked at cubes and companies that do pallet style shipping, but the delivery windows are like 3-4 weeks. Also got a quote from International Van Lines and they said it could be up to 21 days for delivery.”source ↗
“Also tossing around just selling the big stuff, but even then I won’t have enough room in the car for my totes and boxes.”source ↗
“I am moving from Louisiana to Maryland but am selling all of my furniture.”source ↗
“I don’t want to drive myself and could use help loading.”source ↗
“Would prefer not to do a POD type solution due to HOA grumpiness.”source ↗
“The Vespa is going to need to be transported in some larger trailer or truck, and can be in the same container/trailer with our books etc.”source ↗
“I hear incredibly varying prices and stories about U-Box, PODS, etc., but wanted to ask here because of our specific freeform DIY longhaul situation.”source ↗
“I would not be opposed to renting a van but hear one-way drops have massive fees but also sometimes they don't??”source ↗
“so - I don't drive .. so, driving any of my stuff and my 2 cats is not an option.”source ↗
“I've never moved out of state .. I'm now a widow - and looking to save money at retirement age.”source ↗
“I don't even know where to start or what something like this would cost.”source ↗
Where this came up
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